Person
Barbón Martínez, Emilio (1930-2003)
Pola de Laviana (Laviana, Asturias, España) 1930 - Pola de Laviana (Laviana, Asturias, España) 2003
Spanish lawyer. His father was a socialist miner who suffered the repression after the Spanish Civil War, and joined a Workers' Group until 1941, just when the family moved to Barredos (Laviana), and where Emilio started his primary studies. Shortly after, Emilio's mother was deported to the concentration camp of Figueras de Castropol (Asturias), where she stayed seven months because she had hidden a fugitive. As a child Emilio suffered a paralysis, and from then, he had to use crutches during the rest of his life. ç
Emilio took High School studies in an academy of Sotrondio between 1945 and 1952, and studied Law at the University of Oviedo between 1952 and 1957, sponsored by the enterprise Duro Felguera and the Retirement Mining Workers Bank. He started to be interested in the illegal socialist organization at the beginning of the 50's, joining it in 1957.
Emilio represented the Barredos-Laviana area in the Federation of Asturian Socialist Committee of PSOE under the pseudonym of "Nicolás". After its raid in 1960, he worked as a coordinator of an Asturian socialist organization until April 1962, when the Regional Committee of FSA was formed and Emilio was appointed its president, Pedro León its secretary, Luis Fernández Roces its treasurer and Herminio Álvarez, Avelino Pérez, Manuel Mondelo and Manuel Martín Rueda its members. Emilio's labour attorney office in Laviana was used as a shield for UGT and PSOE's activities. His authority and standing increased due to his leadership skills during the mining conflicts during 1962 and 1963. Moreover, his social involvement as a lawyer dealing with difficult issues intensified, such as imprisons and firings regarding political reasons. In 1963 and 1964, he worked as a provincial delegate at the National Association of Civil Disabled People. On August 1967 he was appointed president of FSA and on September, secretary-general of the UGT Provincial Committee. At the end of this year, he was arrested and prosecuted, but later on, the judge imposed a stay on the proceedings of the cause.
Emilio was in charge of FSA's propaganda from 1969, just when Agustín Gonzalez arrived to Asturias, ensuring the regular publication of the newspaper "Adelante". Emilio travelled several times to France to meet with the UGT and PSOE Executive Board in exile, and to attend to the Congress organized by both organizations, being present at the XIII Congress of PSOE in exile, held in Suresnes-Paris on October 1974. In 1975, he was arrested again in Madrid, and taken to the General Security Department during the protest organized to pay tribute to Pablo Iglesias in the civil cemetery. Emilio worked also as a secretary-general of UGT in Asturias from May 1976 to April 1977, when he joined the FSA Committee as a secretary of Relationships with some other Forces. He was elected deputy for Asturias in the very first general elections of democracy, held on June 1977.
After leaving the Courts, he was deputy at the General Board of Asturias and Minister of Labour and Social Action, in the Pre-autonomous and then, the Autonomous Government headed by Rafael Fernández (1982-1983). After resigned from this position, he worked as a lawyer at his office in Pola de Laviana until May 1989, when he was appointed Magister at the Criminal Chamber of the High Court of Justice as a renowned jurist, named by the Council of Judiciary and occupying this position until 21st May 1999, when he retired.
Emilio won several rewards due to his career, such as the Order of Constitutional Merit (1988), the Medal of the General Board of Asturias (1992), the Grans Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (1998), and as a posthumous honorary, the Medal of Asturias within Golden category (2003), among others.
Finally, Emilio died in Pola de Laviana on 14th June 2003.
Date of the event: 1977-07-13 - 1979-01-02